Universal device for the protection of surgical pins

ABSTRACT

A universal external device for the protection of the emerging portion of a surgical pin ( 6 ) of any diameter used, includes a protective element ( 1 ) provided with an axial cylindrical through bore ( 2 ) in which is disposed a resiliently deformable insert ( 5 ) adapted to receive the projecting end of the pin ( 6 ), as well as a locking screw ( 4 ) disposed in a tapped hole ( 3 ) which opens into said bore ( 2 ). The resiliently deformable insert ( 5 ) is cylindrical, of a shape and size adapted to those of the axial cylindrical bore ( 2 ) which has a distal abutment ( 2   a ), the insert ( 5 ), under the force of the pressure of the screw ( 4 ), deforming and trapping the pin ( 6 ) disposed in the insert ( 5 ) to prevent any risk of becoming embedded.

[0001] The present invention relates to a universal device for externalsecurement, adapted to protect the projecting end of the surgical pinscurrently used in general traumatology, in particular in the reductionof osseus fractures of the hand and foot.

[0002] The pins now used in traumatology of the hand, have incrementaldiameters from 0.7 to 2 mm. There exists for the protection of theprojecting portion of these pins, an external spherical device pierceddiametrically, adapted to receive pins of similar diameters. This deviceis also provided with a tapping disposed in the equatorial plane, inwhich a headless screw under the action of a screwdriver applies a pointpressure on the pin inserted in the device, such that the protectivedevice is immobilized in rotation and in translation on the pin,preventing it from migrating into the wound. There has been proposed byEP 0 527 204, a spherical universal protective device, provided with abore for a pin, and a locking screw disposed in a hole which opens intosaid bore in which is disclosed an insert in the form of a resilientlydeformable crescent, which under the locking force of said screw, locksthe pin by circumconvolution of the two edges of the insert.

[0003] There is thus obtained a protection device which simply matchesall of the diameters of the pins with the help of a single bore. Theproduction of such a device is costly, its assembly complex and its usewith a pin of a diameter of 2 mm can drive the insert out of the borediametrically.

[0004] So as to overcome these drawbacks, the present invention has forits object to provide a new universal device for the protection ofsurgical pins, simple in structure and easy to use.

[0005] To this end, the invention has for its object an externaluniversal device for the protection of the emergent portion of asurgical pin of any diameter used, of the type comprising a protectionelement provided with an axial cylindrical through bore in which isdisposed a resiliently deformable insert adapted to receive theprojecting end of the pin, as well as a locking pin disposed in a tappedhole which opens into said bore, characterized in that the resilientlydeformable insert is cylindrical, of a shape and dimension adapted tothat of the axial cylindrical bore, which has a distal abutment, theinsert, under the influence of the pressure of the screw, deforming andtrapping the pin disposed in said insert to prevent any risk of becomingburied.

[0006] According to a first embodiment, the axial cylindrical bore ispartially tapped and the resiliently deformable insert has acomplementary screw thread on its external surface so as to be able tobe screwed into said bore. Thus, preferably, the insert is designedaccording to the dimensions permitting it to be screwed into the axialbore of the protective element.

[0007] According to a second embodiment, the resiliently deformableinsert is disposed and cemented into the axial cylindrical bore.

[0008] According to a third embodiment, the resiliently deformableinsert is set in the axial cylindrical bore.

[0009] The universal protective device according to the invention, thuspermits precise adaptation to all diameters of pin currently used in thereduction of osseus fractures of the hand or foot with a single axialbore, without risk that the insert will be ejected from the bore by useof a pin of a large diameter such as 2 mm.

[0010] The resilient property of the insert permits it to deform duringscrewing of the screw to trap the pin, then to recover its initial shapeduring unlocking of the screw, which has the effect of freeing the pin.

[0011] Such a device according to the invention, can be adapted tosurgical pins whose diameter is comprised between 0.7 and 2 mm. However,a device quite identical but designed according to suitable dimensionalsizes, can be adapted to pin diameters from 2 to 6 mm and so on.

[0012] The universal protective device comprises a protection elementwhich can be of spherical shape, but which could also have a cubic,cylindrical, parallelepipedal, oblong, pyramidal shape or even any othersuitable shape.

[0013] There will be described in what follows, in greater detail, anexample of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the universalprotective device for pins.

[0015]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the universal protectivedevice for pins, shown in FIG. 1, and

[0016]FIGS. 3a and 3 b show respectively a perspective view and across-sectional view of the insert of the device of FIG. 1.

[0017] The universal protective device for pins according to theinvention, comprises a protective sphere 1 provided with a cylindricalaxial bore 2 containing a distal abutment 2 a.

[0018] A tapped hole 3 opens into said bore 2 and receives a lockingscrew 4.

[0019] The axial cylindrical bore 2 is partially tapped and receives ahollow cylindrical insert 5 defining a through hole 7 in which can bedisposed a pin 6, of a shape and size adapted to those of the axial bore2 and made of a resiliently deformable material. This resilientlydeformable insert is screw threaded on its external surface so as to beadapted to be screwed into said bore 2 and can have a shoulder 5 asuitable to come into engagement against the distal abutment 2 a whichlimits its introduction into the bore 2.

[0020] When the screw 4 is screwed in, the insert 5 deforms, and fixesitself securely to the pin 6 which is engaged in the hole 7 defined bythe insert 5, in the manner of the jaws of a vise to as to trap the pin6. When the screw 4 is unscrewed, the insert 5, because of theresilience of its material, regains its original shape and frees the pin6.

1. Universal external device for the protection of the emergent portion of a surgical pin (6) of all diameters used, of the type comprising a protective element (1) provided with an axial cylindrical through bore (2) in which is disposed a resiliently deformable insert (5) adapted to receive the projecting end of the pin (6), as well as a locking screw (4) disposed in a tapped hole (3) which opens into said bore (2), characterized in that the resiliently deformable insert (5) is cylindrical, of a shape and dimensions adapted to those of the axial cylindrical bore (2) which has a distal abutment (2 a), the insert (5), under the force of the pressure of the screw (4), deforming to trap the pin (6) disposed in said insert (5) to prevent any risk of becoming buried.
 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the axial cylindrical bore (2) is at least partially tapped and the insert (5) has a complementary screw thread on its external surface so as to be able to be screwed into said bore (2).
 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resiliently deformable insert (5) is disposed and cemented in the axial cylindrical bore (2).
 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resiliently deformable insert (5) is set in the axial cylindrical bore (2).
 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the protective element (1) is a sphere.
 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the insert (5) has a shoulder (5 a) adapted to come into contact against the distal abutment (2 a). 